7 Languages With No Alphabet That Still Survive Today
By Roshni Chakrabarty
While most languages have developed writing systems, several continue to thrive purely through oral tradition. These languages, lacking a formal alphabet, are testaments to the resilience of human communication and cultural preservation.
Spoken by the Pirahã people in the Amazon rainforest, this language is renowned for its simplicity and uniqueness. It lacks a formal writing system, numbers, and even fixed color terms. Communication is achieved through speech, humming, and whistling, reflecting a culture deeply rooted in the present moment.
1. PIRAHÃ (BRAZIL)
The Sentinelese, residing on North Sentinel Island in the Andaman archipelago, speak a language that remains entirely undocumented. Their isolationist stance has preserved their linguistic heritage, which exists solely in oral form.
2. SENTINELESE (INDIA)
With only a handful of speakers left, Ongota is on the brink of extinction. This language has never been codified into a writing system, and its survival hinges on urgent documentation efforts.
3. ONGOTA (ETHIOPIA)
Distinct from American Sign Language, Hawaii Sign Language (HSL) is an indigenous sign language with roots predating ASL's introduction to Hawaii. Historically transmitted through generations without a written form, HSL is now critically endangered.
4. HAWAII SIGN LANGUAGE (UNITED STATES)
Spoken in parts of Afghanistan and Tajikistan, Ishkashimi lacked a writing system until recent efforts introduced scripts based on Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. Despite these developments, the language remains predominantly oral in daily use.
5. ISHKASHIMI (AFGHANISTAN/TAJIKISTAN)
The Mi'kmaq people historically used a unique system of hieroglyphic symbols for religious and ceremonial purposes. While not an alphabet in the traditional sense, this system facilitated the transmission of oral traditions. Today, efforts continue to revitalize the language and its writing practices.
6. MI'KMAQ (CANADA)
The Tarahumara people of northern Mexico have maintained their language primarily through oral tradition. While there have been attempts to develop a writing system using the Latin alphabet, the language remains largely unwritten in everyday contexts.
7. TARAHUMARA (MEXICO)
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